Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-14
COOPERATION.
PROPOSITION FOR ITS ADOPTION
ANONG FRUIT-GROWERS,
To Secure a Sure Market to Orch
ardists, and All the Profits
on Their Fruits.

as will help develop the resources OF THIS
section, | trust that you will give space to
the following ideas, which, although deal
ing exclusively with the promotion of the
interests of the farmers, ought 20 be worth
the earnest consideration of every one who
admits that the prosperity of the farmer
| especially the small farmer-is indispens-
ably necessary TO the prosperity Of the
community
By far the greatest part OF farming done
in this favored spot of earth is fruit-farm-
ing ranging from the high-toned orange
down to g common apple, the bulk OF
which. however consists in growing
peaches, apricots, plums and pears. In
order to make fruit-farming, outside of a
pleasant occupation, also profitable one,
! two well-disposed factors are necessary
J first, that nature smiles second land by
no means the least important one), that
! the consumer lin form of the shipper OF
canneTy)sm smiles.
| The friendly disposition of the first one
1 is evident. The orchards are one vast gar
sden, the trees are literally laden down with
the finest fruit, which only the fortunate
| combination of unsurpassed climate and
soil can produce This ought 20 be a sure
means to swell the bank account of every
| fruit-grower, small or great. But has ii
been? Will it be in future?
| The first question can be answered with
certainty that very often it has not been.
Everybody knows that such fruit which is
not adapted for shipping, and most fruit OF
such small growers who for some reason
are not prepared for shipping-and there
| 10 lNa to ha
| All the growers had necessarily to sell
| their fruit, while the cannery had not
necessarily to buy the fruit of ali the
growers, as in most seasons one-half or
one-fourth of the crop was sufficient to
occupy its entire capacity.
Therein was the crisis. If humanity
and fruit growers in particular-were COM
posed of angels, then one-half of the grow
ers would permit their entire crop to re-
main unsold In order to give the other
half an opportunity to realize good prices
| for theirs, but, as men are not angels as yet
they show their human inclinations by
competing with each other; by lowering
she prices of their respective fruits, lower
and still lower, so as to sell their crop, to
get at least something for it." which Is
but natural. But it was also Just as nat
ural that the consumer e., the cannery-
took advantage of this crisis. The latter
| had the power to dictate the price, and il
used this power in its own interest / dc
not blame the cannery proprietor for such
use. | might Just as well blame any
farmer, who would not pay $40 for an i'm.
| plement which he can get for So.
! Thus we see, that while one factor fol-
the financial success of fruit-grewing is
| favorable the producing part, its indis.
pensable co-factor-the selling parts not
4 l. IL
future? Let US see:
The grower has. outside of his shipping
fruit, lot of fruit which he cannot dispose
| of, he thinks, unless to the cannery. Con
| sequently as he argues, be is forced to sci
to the cannery, even if the price obtained
| hardly repays his own labor. But, here
| comes my suggestion.
| Let me ask you what does the cannely
do with your fru t? "Oh, you reply, they
can it and sell it to a great advantage
| Why, then, do you sell it to the cannery
| instead of canning it yourself and pocket.
| ing, outside of what the cannery pays you
that profit also, which the latter gains on
your product?
oh, because my father has always solo
his crop to the cannery, and so have
these last fifteen years, although / admit
that it would pay me much better to can it. ,
| Why then don't you go to work ant
can it?
My acreage for orchard is too small fol
that, believe
| Why do you not combine with YOU
neighbor or neighbors your fruit, you
purse, your brain and your efforts, in ordel
to gain that ability, which you are lacking
individually, namely the ability 10 put NJ
a small. sized cannery to can your o"r
| fruit, to sell your own canned fruit, and t
| n w or hs1r for
own fruits. You could cooperate with
your neighbors three or five miles surround
ling; their combined orchard acreage woulC
more than suffice to keep a cannery occu
pied, and after the can goods are marketed
each of the co-operators would receive al
| equal share of the net receipts in proper
ton to the quantity of fruit delivered. Fol
instance, you have delivered eight tons
your neighbor A, ten tons and B six tom
OF a certain variety of fruit, and that variety
has Melted, say, 6 cents per 10 Then yoI
would receive 1850, A would received 81 ,20l
and B, $720.
Il" never gave any thought to the idea
but l admit it is good one, only that som,
of my neighbors could perhaps not wal
for their money until their share is DUE
That could be overcome in the folioWin!
way Organize a stock company, call i
The Mayhem Station Fruit Canning Com
pany' or The Routier Station Cannery.
or any other name, and issue shares, lin
tied in number, 10 be held only by fruit
growers sell these shares and utilize it
proceeds to erect a cannery, to pay for the
delivered fruit the much-desired cash nigh
on delivery, and also TO pay the labor ant
all the current expenses until the casl
comes in from the marketed canned goods
| which money then, after reducing tn
amount laid out, and after reducing anothe
amount for allowing a certain percentag
for the invested capital to the shareholders
has to be divided equally among those VIII,
delivered fruit in proportion to the guam
tity delivered.
Now mark the difference of what ha
been and what would be. according to thi
suggestion. For instance, you have OF
hand Just now ten tons of peaches of sucl
varieties as are not adapted for shipping
If you sell these ten tons to the cannery-
say at the rate of one cent pou d-yol
receive your $500, and taats all. Yol
have nothing to expect of the probable
gain which your peaches will yield to thu
eannery, neither does it matter to the latte
whether this price permits you a comforta
tie or bare living, or whetherit paws Won
expenses at all. On the other hand. if vol
were 10 deliver your ten tons of peaches t,
the Stock Conpany's cannery, of whicl
Yodl4Werei Dy VlfIoe OF orr membership
a paTt-proprietor, you would receive ais,
yoer $500 for your fruit in cash Tor il
shares, as you migkt desire), and outsid
of tais you would be entitled to all the ne
profz. which these ten tons of peaehe
would yield.
Tho-company, in other words, pays on,
cent Cor the peaches, and puts on fouf
cents aEorth of labor and other outlay
makiHg in all five cents. and realizes for i
ten ceals, which would leave margin O
five cents per pound or 5000 for your ter
tons of peaches, which amount belongs t.
you. TbisS1 600 would se paid when th,
profits ase divided each season. Can Vol
imagine tfe great benefit Which you woulc
derive FROM such co-operS&Du? Not only
the certainty with which yssi could figur,
on a mariset, not only thsoomparaiiYely
! large amounted money Wish you woulc
j receive more .han by the present state BY
virtue of sharssg the profits, not only the
ladvantage thst each grower would find il
TO his every interest 10 deiiSar only the
geFy choicest OF fruits, as its easier sale
actually profits hiz own pocket, and that
tkis reputation of brand zgould be
established. which would insure an easy
ana profitable marlss. for the fuslre. but
also1.he very value o. your land. Or which
these peaches, apTiosss. ETC. are grown,